AWS RDS (Relational Database Service) provides managed PostgreSQL and MySQL instances. Dora connects to them over the standard protocol using the instance endpoint from the AWS Console.
RDS instances can be public or private. Public instances connect directly; private instances require an SSH tunnel or VPN — Dora's built-in SSH tunnel feature covers both cases.
PostgreSQL connection string
postgresql://[USER]:[PASSWORD]@[INSTANCE].rds.amazonaws.com:5432/[DBNAME]Steps
1.Find the RDS endpoint
In the AWS Console, open RDS → Databases and select your instance. Under the Connectivity & security tab, copy the Endpoint (it ends in .rds.amazonaws.com) and Port.
2.Ensure the security group allows your IP
In the same tab, open the VPC security group and add an inbound rule for port 5432 (Postgres) or 3306 (MySQL) from your machine's IP, if not already present.
3.Add a connection in Dora
Create a new connection in Dora. Enter the RDS endpoint as the host, the port, your master username, password, and database name. Optionally enable SSL in the connection settings.
4.Test and connect
Click Test, then Connect. Your RDS tables and schemas load into the Dora sidebar.
Good to know
- SSL is optional on AWS RDS but recommended. RDS supports sslmode=require; you can enable it in the Dora connection dialog.
- For private RDS instances inside a VPC, configure Dora's SSH tunnel to jump through a bastion host in the same VPC.
- Aurora PostgreSQL and Aurora MySQL are also compatible engines — Dora connects to them the same way using the cluster or instance endpoint.